BENTON

I.129.1

BENTON, Thomas Hart, was born near Hills borough, N. C., March 14, 1782, and died at Washington City, April 10, 1858. He began practicing law in Nashville, Tenn., and was Jackson's aide; but a street fight with Jackson made life in Nashville so unpleasant to him that he removed to Missouri, and served as United States senator from that state (democrat) 1821-51. In the senate he was a voluminous and rather tiresome speaker, but his speeches were widely read and had great influence with the country. He was a southern democrat, opposed to secession and to agitation for or against slavery, and so lost ground in his own state. He served as representative in congress 1853-5, but was defeated in every other election after 1851—See 1 Parton's Life of Jackson, 392; Benton's Thirty Years' View; Benton's Debates of Congress; 26 Atlantic Monthly.

The cuneiform inscription in the Liberty Fund logo is the earliest-known written appearance of the word "freedom" (amagi), or "liberty." It is taken from a clay document written about 2300 B.C. in the Sumerian city-state of Lagash.